Month: August 2014

Many single mums struggle in the Summer holidays. With no money to go on the foreign holiday that everyone else is talking about and without the break in the day that school or nursery can provide (vital for those who work and for those who don’t: a chance to catch up with chores, errands, or even a bit of me time), the time can feel like anything but a holiday. This is where you need to be on the lookout for all the small things to enjoy. With the glorious weather we’ve been enjoying, England has certainly felt like a holiday destination. Sunshine makes me happy and I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way. Without the tyranny of the school timetable to adhere to, you can be more relaxed about bedtimes and enjoy the luxury of getting everyone up at your own pace in the morning. I find that I’m naturally waking up really early at present as it’s so light, and this means that I can do a lot of my creative work, catch up with emails and plan my day before anyone else starts stirring. The fine weather means that you can have regular outings and really enjoy some family togetherness without breaking the bank. A trip to the local park is free, as is going down to the beach. Picnics are always fun and children can get involved with packing everything up in the picnic basket and helping to choose and prepare the food. If you do need to work, do your best to plan some family time as well and let everyone know the schedule. Even older children can be prised away from their technology from time to time. This weekend we all played Creationary (like Pictionary with Lego) – my 17 year old and his girlfriend enjoyed it just as much as my youngest! There’ll be some projects you can complete as a family, too – clearing out old toys, books, clothes and shoes to donate to charity or redecorating a room. You don’t need to plan everything down to the last detail- just have a few outings in the calendar and some time each day where you do something fun together. This could turn out to be your best Summer yet!